Musical instrument.



PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

0. H. NEWMAN. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.29,1906.

Hi mum's PETERS cm, WASHINGTON D c.

OSCAR H. NEWMAN; OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908;

Application filed December 29, 1906. Serial No'. 3450,040

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR H. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia have invented a new and useful Musical Instrument, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention'relates to an improvement in a musical instrument of SerialNo. 334,859 filed Sept. 12, 1906, and the object of the invention is 'toprovide a hammer string sounding means operated by the movement of afret bar.

The accom anying drawings illustrate the invention an referring theretoFigure 1 is a plan view of the instrument, With portions of the topbroken away to show underlying features. Fig. 2 is an upper section online 22 Fig. 1 and a section of the frame and sound board of the oldinstrument showing the invention connected thereto. Fig. 3 is anenlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2, showing the hammers in theirnormal and striking positions. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4. 4 Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a detail side view of a portion of a treble fret bar. Fig. 6is a perspective of a hammer bar and adjacent parts.

1 and 2 designates the fret bars. Sound post 3 are secured to the sound,board 4, which has a sound hole 4 A wire 5 extends across the instrumentthrough the sound posts 3 .to which the fret bars 1 and 2 are pivoted,and these bars are guided to swing in a vertical plane by pins 6 whichextend up from the soundboard 4. Each fret bar has a plurality of frets7,. and two bridges 8 and 9.

tretched across the bridges on each of the fret bars 1 is a pair of basestringslO and stretched across the bridges on each of the fret bars 2 isa pair of treble strings 11, the ends of the strings being fastened tothe head of the fret bars by turning screws 12 in the fret bars, all. ofthe strings at their other ends being fastened in perforations in thefret bars by pins 13. Over each of the fret bars 1 and 2 is pivoted ahammer bar 14 having a, butt 15, and pivoted to a wire 16 which extendsacross the instrument, the end of each hammer bar having a hammer 17which is adapted to strike against the strings to vibrate the'same, aspring 18 being interposed between the hammer 17 and the hammer bar 14to lighten and quicken the stroke of the hammer on the strings 10 and11.

An extension spring 19 is secured to the end. of each fret bar and ismade fast to the sound board 4 to hold the fret bar in normal positionand to regulate the pressure on the said fret bar, to assist the layerto fret and sound the strings. A bloc 20 is secured to the top of eachfret bar astride the strings on bars 1 While on bars 2 the treblestrings 11 do not extend through the blocks 20. Said blocks cause thehammers to engage the strings to vibrate the same when the said fret baris depressed. Secured to each of the fret bars 1 and 2 is a bridle 21its other end being removably secured to the corresponding hammer bar14, to regulate the stroke of the hammer 17 on the strings '10 and 11.The action being similarto a piano action. The operation is as follows:On depressing any of the strings 10 or 11 down on any of the frets 7the strings will be brought against the fret so that the strings willvibrate between that fret and the bridge 8; while further downwardmovement of the fret bar in turn brings the top of the block 20 againstthe butt 15 on the hammer bar 14, the block sliding up the side of thebutt, causing the hammer bar to swing upon its pivot 16 and the hammer17 to strike against the strings, the strings vibrating in response, andas soon as the pressure upon the fret bar is released the spring 19pulls down and re stores the fret bar to normal position. To avoid anynoise in the movement of the fret bars and hammer bars, felt or otherlike deadening material may be provided on top of the block 20, at 20 on.the fret bars, and hammer bars, at .22 on the sound board and under thefret bars, at 23 on the end of the hammer bars as a damper block for thebase strings. Above the sound board and hammer bars is an outer board 24having a sound hole 25, which may be closed by a hinged lid 26, the lidbeing supported when opened at any desirable angle by friction togglelinks 27, this outer board being removably secured to the sound board 4.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention what I claim is 1. Thecombination, in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, aplurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each .bar, soundposts on which the bars are movably mounted said posts being secured tothe sound board, a hammer for each pair of'strings provided withoperating means adjacent to the corresponding bar and operated thereby.2. The combination in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, aplurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, anextension spring for each bar secured to the soundboard to regulate thepressure on said bar and to assist the player to fret and sound thestrings, sound posts on which the bars are movably mounted said postsbeing secured to the sound board, a hammer for each pair of strings, aspring for each hammer, interposed between the hammer and the hammer barto lighten and quicken the stroke of the hammer on the strings, a blockon each bar cooperating with the hammer means to sound the strings whenthe said bar is depressed.

3. The combination in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, aplurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, soundposts, on which the bars are movably mounted, said post being secured tothe sound board, a hammer for each pair of strings, each hammer isprovided with a bridle which is secured to the corresponding bar toregulate the stroke of the hammer on. the strings to sound the stringsby operating the said bar.

4. The combination, in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, anextension spring for each bar secured to the sound board, sound postssecured to, the sound board, on which the bars are movably mounted, aplurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, a pivotedhammer for each pair of strings, operated by the movement of the saidbar.

OSCAR H. N EYVM AN Witnesses:

LUTE S. ALTER, F. S. HURsT.

